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TM Hm Vw 0U 0s n HB a n O M o W No. 546,395. Patented Sept. 17, 1895.

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UNITED STATES P TENT FFlCE.

HAMILTON S. COVEY, OF NENARK, NEXV JERSEY.

BARREL-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,895, dated September 17, 1895.

Application filed November 6, 189%. Serial No.528,012. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HAMILTON S. Covey, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Barrel Platforms or Supports; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a convenient portable and adjustable platform or support for moving heavy barrels or casks and permanently supporting the same-as, for example, casks filled with molasses or other liquid or solid matter-and to secure other advantages and results hereinafter referred to.

The invention consists in the improved platform or support and in the combination and arrangement of the parts thereof, substantially as herein set forth, and finally pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures where they occur, Figure l is a side elevation of a platform such as above mentioned embodying my improvements, with a cask thereon, the same being shown in a vertical position by dotted lines; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of said platform.

In said drawings, A designates the sides of the device, which are located substantially parallel with each other and a suitable distance apart.

l3 designates cross-pieces which are dovetailed in or otherwise secured to the sides and serve to hold them at the proper distance from each other and also as supports for a cask or barrel, for which purpose they are hollowed out on the top to conform as nearly as may be to the cylindrical shape of the barrel, so that the latter will rest thereon easily and naturally. The rear portions of said sides constitute a quadrant-that is, they arerounded from the top edge to the bottom thereof, as shown.

C designates a plate orbracket which is secured to the rear end of the sides, upon the top, and projects upward or outward therefrom, so as to catch beneath the chine of a u barrel or cash as it is raised a short distance from the floor, and the rounded portions of the sides are such that when the front ends of the sides are pressed downward, while being brought to a horizontal position,the fulcrum constantly changes. In fact, the barrel itself, after having been slightly tipped, will come into such position of its own volition, thus requiring but very little exertion on the part of the operator to handle it. A small boy could do so with ease.

Just back of the rearsupport or cross-piece B, I attach to the side pieces two wheels 61, which project slightly below said sides, and thereby render the platform easily portable when raised at a proper angle. The said wheels are designed to be placed so that when the handles e are raised to a convenient elevation to be grasped by the hands they will engage with the door, and thus the barrel or cask can be moved or propelled anywhere de sired, the same as by an ordinary truck; but when the barrel and support are brought down to a horizontal position the wheels are off of the floor and do not operate, thus constituting it a rigid platform.

D designates an adjustable support which for convenience I attach to the front crossbar B, just back of the handles, preferably by a hinge f, so that it will automatically adjust itself, and when the platform is in a horizontal position it will engage with the floor, and when the platform is raised to a vertical position the said support will drop automatically out of the way, as indicated in the drawings.

It being frequently desirable to lower the barrel or cask in front, so that the contents thereof can be easily drawn off, I have also made said support adjustable in height, so that the platform can be held either in a horizontal position or at an angle. I make said support preferably to work telescopically and hold the u pper portion in place by a set-screw g or other appropriate means. It may, however, be joined together by a bayonet-joint, or in the same manner, practically, as a pianostool-that is, the upper portion or part may screw into the lower part. Thefront ends of said side pieces A are rounded off and are formed into handles In order that both hands may be free to handle and control the platform, I secure a hook h, Fig. 1, to the front cross-bar, or, if preferred, to the handles, adapted to engage with the chine of the cask, if desired, to hold the latter in position when tilting the platform, as will be understood, said hook being adapted to be readily detached and connected with another platform at pleasure.

It will be seen from the foregoing that this platform or support serves as a means for easily handling and moving heavy oasks or barrels from place to place and also for a permanent support or platform when moved into position where they are needed as such, and that they can be moved at any time with very little effort.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

In a portable barrel platform, the combination, with side pieces, the rear end of each of which is formed into or provided with a quadrant, of cross-pieces for holding the side pieces parallel with each other, wheels journaled to the side pieces between the ends of the quadrants, whereby the wheels are out of contact with the floor except when the platform is standing at an angle between the horizontal and the Vertical, an adjustable support pivotally secured to the crosspieces at the front end of the platform and adapted to stand at right angles to the side pieces when the platform occupies a horizontal position and. to swing into a position substantially parallel with the side pieces when the platform stands in a vertical position, the length of the support being such that when it stands in a vertical position to support the front end of the platform the wheels are out of contact with the floor and when the wheels are in contact with the floor the supportis out of contact with the floor, a plate or bracket secured to the ends of the side pieces provided with the quadrants, and adapted to engage with the articles being supported, and a hook secured to the front cross piece and adapted to engage with the opposite end of the article being supported, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing l have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of October, 1894.

HAMILTON S. COVEY.

Witnesses:

OLIVER DRAKE, ROBERT SOLLBERGER. 

